Garment hanger



y 1953 J. W.-KINNEY, JR., ETAL 2,639,066

GARMENT HANGER Filed Aug. 16, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 JOHN W. KINNEY,JR. HARRY A.TOMAR|N y 1953 J. w. KINNEY, JR., ETAL 2,639,066

GARMENT HANGER 3, Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 16, 1947 nvmvro s JOHN w. KINNEY' HARRY A. TOM

BY l May 19, 1953 J. w. KINNEY, JR., EIAL GARMENT HANGER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 16, 1947 INVENTORS JOHN w. KINNEY JR. HARRY A.ToMAm BY jg/fi.

Patented May 19, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE GARMENT HANGER John W. Kinney, Jr., and Harry A. Tomarin, Cincinnati, Ohio; said 'Tomarin assignor to J. Warren Kinney, Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio Application August 16, 1947, Serial No.'769,040'

'7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to garment hangers.

One of the primary objects of our invention is to provide a garment hanger with means for affording adequate lateral support for the padded shoulder portions of garments; for providing abutments against which the outer ends of such padded portions may abut; and which will likewise eifectively preclude accidental or unintentional separation of a garment from its hanger.

Heretofore many attempts have been made to provide garment hangers with means for locating and/or supporting the shoulder pad portion of garments suspended from such hangers, however, to the best of our knowledge, all such devices have fallen short of providing support where really needed when considered from the standpoint of the shoulder portion of a garment andits associated shoulder pad. In our hanger we provide adequate central support for the shoulder portion of a garment as well as ample lateral and endwise support for the shoulder pad, thereby positively precluding shifting of shoulder pads, to positions either in front of or hanging downwardly behind the inclined shoulder supporting element of a hanger as is the case with those hangers with which we are presently familiar.

The problem of shoulder-pad shifting or displacement is of particular concern to large department stores which deal in such items, by way of example as, womens dresses, blouses, negligees, jackets, coats, house coats, sweaters and evening gowns, mens suits, sports coats, jackets, shirts, etc., since it becomes necessary to adjust the shoulderpad and shoulder portion of each garment each time it is removed from its rack for purposes of exhibition to a customer. Such adjustments are not only irritably time-consuming to the sales person and customer but result in actual damage to the garments themselves from being mussed and soiled from handling.

A further item of great concern to all users of garment hangers is the matter of accidental slippage of garments from their hangers onto the floor. This problem is quite acute in the larger department stores where customers as well as clerks quite often dislodge from their respective hangers one or both of the garments adjacent the particular garment being selected. The dropped garments are usually soiled even though promptly picked'up and if not promptly picked up, such garments often sustain physical damage of such a nature as to necessitate them being offered for sale, if still saleable, at reduced prices.

Another prime object of our invention is to provide simple, yet positive automatic means for from in such a manner as to preserve and maintain the natural shoulder lines-of the garment. Our hanger is ideally suited-for use by dry cleaning establishments for preventing shifting of the shoulder portions of bagged garments from the time of bagging until the garment is. removed from its bag by the customer. Shoulder and shoulder-pad shifting of freshly pressed garments results in distortion of the shoulders and loss of shape of the entire garment, a condition which cannot be remedied except by a repressing operation.

Still a further object of our invention is to provide hangers having the hereinabove described characteristics and which are adapted to support a great variety of garments whether they be fabricated from sheer, intermediate, or heavy materials.

A further object of the invention is to provide garment hangers having the hereinabove described characteristics which may be inexpensively fabricated from wire, plastics or the like, using modern mass production methods- These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and as disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a hanger embodying the teachings of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the left end of the hanger of Fig. 1. l

Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to views of Figs. 2 and 3 but wherein the shoulder-pad loops I6 and the hanger are fabricated froma single length of wire.

Fig. 6 is a. partial side view of a. plastic hanger embodying theteachings of the present' invention. H

Fig. 7 is a top view of the left end of Fig. 6.. 1

Fig. 8 is a. sectional view taken on line 8-'-.-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a view similarto Fig. 6 but, illustrating a modified type of shoulder-pad loop.

Fig. 10 is a top view'of the left end of the hangerof Fig.9.'

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on line I Ii I of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a side view showing a further modification of the shoulder-pad loop of Fig. 9.

Fig. 13 is a side view of the left portion of a. wire garment hanger provided with a modified form of shoulder-pad loop.

Fig. 1! is a side view of the right portion of a wire garment hanger provided with another modification of shoulder-pad loop.

Figs. 15 and 17 are top views of the lower ends. of the shoulder-pad loops of Figs. 13 and 14, respectively.

Figs. 16 and 18 are end viewsof Figs. 15-and 1-7, respectively.

Fig. 19 is a. perspective view of the lower left. end of a, hanger provided with still another form of shoulder-pad portion.

Fig. 20 is a. vertical sectional view taken on line of 1;. illustrating the front and rear panels of a garment suspended therefrom,v said pan'elsnot being illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig; 21' is a. schematic view showing, in broken outline, the hanger of. Fig. 1 in normal garment suspending position, and. showing, in solid lines, the samehanger tilted under the weight of a garment suspended from the left side of the-hanger.

Figt22: is anenlarged detail of the left end of the hanger of Fig. 2i.v illustrating a feature of tha invention.

Fig. 23 is. a top; view of Fig. 22, showing, in broken. outline, therelationship' of a portion of a garment "locked?" thereon.

Fig. 24 is an enlarged view taken on line 24-44 of 1, but with. the shoulder pad indicated in broken outline imFig. I in solid outline.

Fig. 25 is a. side view of a. modification of the present invention illustraidngthe lower end of the leftsid'e of a hanger provided with a laterally extending interfering member which comprises a detail of the present invention.

with reference now to Fig. 1, the numeral I0 indicates a conventional wire garment hanger which includes upwardly converging elements 12 and a: lower horizontal element l4. Elements i2 arm-adapted tosupport the shoulder portions of garments suspended from the hanger.

A shoulder-padsupporting member or loop, de-

noted generally by the. numeral. I18, is securedito and: carried elements i2 of the hanger; each supporting member including upper portions i8 which intersoct han'g-er elements. l2; sideportions ll which extend laterally fromboth sides. of elements it (see Figs. 1, 2'and 3-J- and alower or end portion 22. With: particular reference now to Fig. 1-, it will: be that side portion 20' extends outwardly and downwardly from element H, thence upvs'nat'rdlyandv inwardly terminating in the lower or end portion 22 which comprises an abutment member disposed abovev the longitudinal axis or mean plane.- of hanger element I2. Hanger element is! comprises an elevated medial portion which extends: throughout the major shoulder pad supporting portion. [6.

length of g preferred embodiment. of the invention,

l-n the end portions-22 "are located beyondandabove the effective outer end of a hanger, thereby providing means for effectively locating the outeredge 88 of a shoulder pad 32'- with respect. to hanger ill for relieving garments of strain inherent. in those instances when the ends of a. shoulder'pad are permittedto droop: or hang downwardly over of; ahanger. The-numeral, indicates, generally, the upper contour of the garment, whereas the numeral 33 represents the side panel or top sleeve portion. It will be noted how effectively the natural shoulder lines of the garment are maintained and how end portion 22 receives, in abutting relationship, the end of the shoulder pad, thereby relieving the garment of the strain and distorting forces to which it would be subjected were saidpad. allowed to droop over the end of the hanger or cooked in such a manner as to hang partially or wholly in front or the rear of element 12.

As illustrated in Fig. 24, side portions 20 provide efiective lateral support for the side portions of shoulder pad 32: which will be adequately supported onopposite sides of hanger element 12, thereby maintaining the shoulder portion of a garment in. proper condition with their respective shoulder pads centrally located. The construction hereinabove described effectively prevents shifting of the shoulder pads in lateral or transverse directions relative to hanger elements I2: wherefore the shoulder portions of. such garments suspended from such hangers will be maintainedwith natural shoulder lines and in proper condition. The numerals and 82 of Fig. 24 indicate, generally, the position assumed by the front and rear panels, respectively, of the shoulder portion of a garment suspended from the hanger of Fig. 1.

With reference-again to'Figs. l, 2 and 3, it will be observed that the shoulder-pad supporting portions i6 have been fabricated from a length of wire bent to provide upper, side and end portions i8, 20 and 22,, respectively, and wherein one end of the lower portion has been formed downwardly andinwardly to provide an end supporting portion 24, the lower end of which is provided with double loops 2B and 28, the last of which is adapted to receiveor straddle the lower end of hanger element i2. The upper portion I! may be permanently secured to hanger element I2 by suitable means, such as by spot welding, as at 28,, thereby permanently attaching the shoulder-pad supporting member to hanger 10. We have found that when rigidly attached at but one point as at 29, the shoulder-pad supporting portions'are quite satisfactorily secured to the hanger for normal usage, and that such a method of attachment lends itself nicely to mass production attachment of prefabricated shoulder-pad portions I6 to prefabricated hangers ID.

The primary distinction between the shoulderpad supporting portions of Figs. 2-3 and 4-5 resides'in the fact that in- Figs. 4 and 5 the shoulder pad portions, or loops; are formed from the same piece of wire and are integral with hanger i0.

When a garment. is suspended from a hanger such as illustrated in Fig. 1', those portions of the front and rear panels of a garment which are located intermediate the shoulder pad and collar portions will hang vertically downward in substantially parallel planes, as indicated by front and rear panels 80 and 82, on opposite sides of hanger elements. l2, see Fig; 20; If, for any reason, one of. the shoulders should be intentionally, accidentally, or unintentionally disengaged from. its associated hanger element l-2,,thehaner will be rotated about its hook as an axis from the normal garment supporting position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 21 to the tiltedv position indicated in solid lines wherein the free hanger element 12 has swung, upwardly and its corresponding arm downwardly under theweight of the other shoulder of thega-rment, whereupon that-shoulder will start. to slide downwardly along its supporting hanger element or arm. However,

such relative motion between-the'shoulder of the panels of the garment abut against the intersection of upper portions I8 of the shoulder pad member IS with hanger element I2, said front and rear panels becoming wedged under upper portions I8 along line M-M of Fig. 22, thereby positively precluding further relative motion between the shoulder portions and hanger element I2. The material will also pleat itself along element I2 and against and under the upper edge of portion I8 which comprises, in effect, a laterally extending interfering member, as illustrated in Fig. 23. The garment thus supported cannot fall from the hanger and will resist downward pulls which will tend only to increase the wedging relationship between the garment and the upper portion of the shoulder pad supporting member.

In Fig. 6, we have disclosed a plastic hanger provided with shoulder supporting member II6 embodying the teachings of our invention. In Figure 8 the numeral I I2 represents an upwardly convergent hanger element similar to element I2 of Fig. 1, and wherein the numerals H8, I20 and I22 represent portions which correspond with portions I8, 20 and 22 of Figs. 1-3. With reference to Figs. '7 and 8, it will be noted that the shoulder-pad supporting portion IIIi includes a bottom wall I50.

In Fig. 9, a plastic hanger 2 I is disclosed which includes a pair of upwardly convergent shoulder supporting elements 2I2, the lower end of each of which is provided with an integrally formed shoulder pad supporting member 2IG including portions 2 I8,-220 and 222, which correspond with portions I8, 20, and 22 of Figs. 1, 2 and 3. It will be noted that, as disclosed in Fig. 10, the lower end of hanger element 2I2 flares upwardly and outwardly as at 260 merging with end portion 222.

In Fig. 12, a modified form of shoulder-pad member is disclosed wherein end 222 has been brought around and over as at 224 for providing a pocket 230 into which the lower end of a shoulder pad may be received for precluding an upward as well as lateral and endwise motion of the shoulder pad relative to hanger element 2 I2.

It should be understood that the intersection of the upper portion of all of the shoulder pad members with their respective hanger inclined elements function in exactly the same manner as the wire hanger of Fig. 1 for precluding accidental or unintentional disengagement of a garment therefrom.

In Figs. l3, l and 16, the shape of the shoulder supporting member I60 difiers from that disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive primarily in the provision of a reverse curve I62 and I64 in the upper portion of said member for the purpose of augmenting the gripping action between the intersection of portion I64 and hanger element I2 with the front and rear panels of a garment suspended from hanger element I2. Side portions I66, end portions I68, and support portion I10, loops I12 and H4 are mechanical equivalents of side portions 20, end portions 22 and end supporting portion 24, loops 26 and 2 8 of Fig. 1.

In Figs. 14, 17 and 18, the shape of the shoulder pad supporting member SIB is substantially rectangular, and includes upper portions 3I8, side portions 320, end portions 322, end supporting portion 324, and loops 326 and 328.

In Fig. 19, a narrow shoulder pad member is illustrated which comprises an upwardly convergent shoulder supporting element-H2, the lower end of which is turned upwardly as at 422, thence over on itself as at 423 to provide a hooked end 430 into which the outer or lower end of the shoulder :portion of a garment suspended from element 4I2v maybe received. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, forward edge 424 is thin in order to receive and overlappingly engagethe end of a shoulder pad without appreciable distortionof the material overlying said pad. It will be observed that the construction illustrated in Fig. 19 provides adequate endwise support for a'shoulder pad while at the same time maintaining said pad in abutting relationship with hanger element 4I2.-- It will likewise be noted that hook 430 may engage a pad in such a manner as to eifectively preclude its lateral shifting relative to hanger element 4I2.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that we have provided a garment hanger with simple, yet highly effective means for providing adequate lateral and endwise support for the shoulder pad portions of garments as well as providing effective automatic means operable for precluding accidental or unintentional separation of a garment from its hanger. It should be understood that various modifications and changes in the structural details of the device may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention. In this connectibn, it should be understood that the outer ends of the shoulder pad members fabricated from wire may be provided with the overturned edges such as 224 of Fig. 12, and further, that in those instances where the anti-slip feature of the hanger outweigh the shoulder pad support features, the hangers may be provided with lateral interfering .members, such as 90, see Fig. 25. Likewise it may be desirable, in certain instances to provide serrated or wavy characteristics to the shoulder-pad loops,

What is claimed is:

1. A garment hanger comprising a pair of upwardly convergent elements for supporting the shoulder portions of a garment suspended therefrom, shoulder pad supporting members each having an upper, intermediate and a lower end provided along and adjacent the lower ends of said elements, said members extending laterally from said elements for providing lateral support for the shoulder pads of garments suspended from said hanger, the lower end of each of said members disposed above the mean plane of its associated upwardly convergent hanger element for providing an abutment for the outer end of a shoulder pad supported by said member.

2. A garment hanger comprising a pair of upwardly convergent shoulder supporting elements, a shoulder-pad supporting member carried by the lower end of each of said elements, each member comprising oppositely disposed laterally extending side portions located along, on opposite sides of and in a plane lower than the mean plane of its respective shoulder supporting hanger element, and an upturned end portion terminating above the mean plane of said hanger element, said side portions proportioned to receive and laterally support the shoulder pads of garments suspended on said element, said upturned end portion proportioned as an abutment for engaging the outer end of shoulder pads supported by said member.

3. A garment hanger comprising a pair of upwardly convergent shoulder supporting elements; as shoulder-pad supporting member provided adjacent the lower ends of said elements, each member comprising top, side and bottom portions wherein said side portions extend laterally along and. on both sides of its hanger element for providing lateral support for the shoulder pad of a garment suspended from said hanger and wherein the bottom portion of said member is raised above the mean plane of its respective hanger element to provide an abutment for the end of theshoulder pad of a garment supported by said member, said top portions being secured onopposite sides of and to said hanger element remote from its lower end for providing a laterally extending interfering member having free upper edges which project laterally outwardly from thehanger elements and under which the shoulder portions of a garment will become lodged incident to relative downward endwise movement of a garment with respect to the hanger element on which it is suspended.

4. In combination with a garment hanger including a pair of upwardly convergent elements for supporting the shoulder portions of garments supported therefrom, of an upwardly inclined shoulder pad supporting member provided along, on opposite sides of and adjacent the lower end of each of said elements, each member including an upturned end portion for providing an abutment engagable by the end of a shoulder pad of a garment suspended from said hanger.

5. In combination with a garment hanger including a pair of upwardly convergent elements for supporting the shoulder portions of garments supported therefrom, of a shoulder pad supporting member provided adjacent the lower end of each of said elements, each member terminating at its outer end in a hooked portion spaced from and extending over the lower end of its associated hanger element for providing a combined abutment and pocket for the end of a shoulder pad supported from said hanger.

6.. Agarment hanger comprising a p'air of upwardly convergent shoulder supportingv elements, a shoulder-pad supporting member carried by the lower end of each of said elements, each member comprising oppositely disposed laterab 1y extending side portions located in a plane lower than the mean plane of its respective shoulder supporting hanger element, and an end portion disposed in a plane above the mean plane of said hanger element, said end portion turned upwardly and over to provide ahook like portion for receiving the outer ends of shoulder pads of garmenta supported from said hanger, said side portions proportioned to receive and laterally support such shoulder pads.

7... A garment hanger comprising a pair' oi! upwardly convergent shoulder engaging elements, shoulder pad supporting members provided adjacent the lower ends of each of said elements, said upwardly converging elements comprising elevated medial portions from which the shoulder pad supporting members each having upper and lower ends extend laterally on opposite sides, and wherein the upper end of said shoulder pad supporting members intersect said hanger elements above and remote from the lower end of the hanger, said members each including side portions which extend outwardly and downwardly from said intersection for a major portion of their length and thence upwardly and inwardly for providing an abutment terminating above the mean plane of said hanger elements.

JOHN W. KINNEY, JR. HARRY A. TOMARIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS- Number Name Date 825,369 Wilson July 10, 1906 1,317,369 Hadden Aug. 4, 1931 2,108,853 Ghazal Feb. 22, 1938 2,241,099 Mills May 6, 1941 2,419,621 Harris et al. Apr. 29, 1947 2,457,486 OGrady Dec. 28, I948 

